Verhaert Masters in Innovation

What Verhaert Masters in Innovation does

Verhaert Masters in Innovation (legal entity: Verhaert New Products & Services NV) is a Belgian-headquartered innovation group founded in 1969 that delivers end-to-end product, service and business innovation services to European enterprises and start-ups. The company is organized into five specialized business units — Strategic Innovation, Digital Innovation (Verhaert.digital), Product Innovation, High-Tech Innovation (Lambda-X for precision optics), and On-site Consulting (Verhaert.consulting) — supported by ten capability labs (AILab, DesignLab, DigitalLab, EmbeddedLab, FabLab, InnoLab, MechLab, OpenLab, OpticsLab, PhysicsLab) and a structured methodology stack including the proprietary Innovation Management Grid (IMG) and RICE frameworks.

The underlying technology stack spans IoT and sensors, AI and data science, robotics and autonomy, cooling/heating/fluidics, and optics, with ISO 13485:2016 certification and 1,200 m² of ISO 5/7 cleanroom capacity underpinning regulated Life Sciences work. Verhaert monetizes through project-based professional services and IR&D engagements, on-site consulting, venture acceleration programs (MyStartUp, CASSINI Business Accelerator, Copernicus Incubation, ESA Space Solutions Belgium), and a public-funding advisory service (FundIt). Named clients include AB InBev, Bosch, Barco, DEME, Imec, Onera Health, Cefaly, Menzis and others across FMCG, automotive, medical devices, maritime, and diagnostics.

The group operates in Belgium, the Netherlands (via BEACON) and Germany (via the 2022 acquisition of the Academy for Corporate Entrepreneurship), maintains a stated headcount of 350+ engineers and scientists, and is privately held with no public revenue disclosure. Distribution is enterprise field sales with content marketing (Innovation Day, Perspectives, webinars) supporting pipeline generation.

Name

Verhaert Masters in Innovation

Legal name

Verhaert New Products & Services NV

Website

https://verhaert.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Verhaert Masters in Innovation is a Belgian-founded (1969) innovation consultancy that delivers end-to-end product, digital and high-tech engineering services to European enterprises and start-ups across FMCG, Life Sciences, Space/Defense and Industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Consulting Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital & Technology Transformation Consulting (BPAHACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Systems Engineering & Technical Program Management (BPAHAIAI)

Keywords

• Innovation consulting services
• Product development engineering
• Strategic innovation management
• Design thinking services
• Technology prototyping

Headquarters

HQ city

Kruibeke

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Innovation Consulting Services: Professional services revenue from strategic innovation, digital innovation, product innovation, high-tech innovation, and on-site consulting engagements. Services delivered across IR&D (Internal Research & Development) model for clients.
2. IR&D Services Turnover: Revenue from Innovation Research & Development services, with key data metrics showing IR&D services turnover measured in millions of euros (MEUR).
3. Business Accelerators: MyStartUp acceleration programs generating revenue through venture acceleration services, including CASSINI Business Accelerator for European space tech start-ups.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Verhaert is an innovation consulting and product engineering firm that helps corporations and startups develop new products, services, and businesses. It delivers end-to-end innovation services through five specialized business units (Strategic Innovation, Digital Innovation, Product Innovation, High-Tech Innovation/Lambda-X, and On-site Consulting) supported by ten capability labs spanning AI, design, digital, embedded systems, fabrication, mechanical, optics, physics, and open innovation. Services span business strategy, design thinking, digital solution development, IoT, medical device engineering, optical payloads for space, and on-site engineering/management consulting.

Product overview

Verhaert Masters in Innovation is an innovation group operating 5 specialized business units (Strategic Innovation, Digital Innovation, Product Innovation, High-Tech Innovation/Lambda-X, and On-site Consulting) that form an end-to-end innovation factory. The company is organized around 12 capability labs (AILab, DesignLab, DigitalLab, EmbeddedLab, FabLab, InnoLab, MechLab, OpenLab, OpticsLab, PhysicsLab) and serves 4 key markets (Space & Security, FMCG & Consumer, Life Sciences, Industry). The offering is structured around Verhaert's proprietary Innovation Management Grid (IMG) methodology and RICE innovation methodology, supported by services including FundIt (funding support), MyStartUp acceleration programs, and the annual Innovation Day conference. The company operates through multiple sub-brands including verhaert.digital, lambda-x.com, and verhaert.consulting, with a presence in the Netherlands through BEACON. Key technology building blocks include IoT & sensors, AI & data science, robotics & autonomy, and cooling/heating/fluidics. The company holds ISO 13485:2016 certification for medical device development and manufacturing, with access to 1,200 m² cleanroom facilities (ISO 5 and 7).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Strategic Innovation: Business engineering, design thinking, technology management and finance services for creating new business
• Digital Innovation (Verhaert.digital)
• Product Innovation
• High-Tech Innovation (Lambda-X)
• On-site Consulting (Verhaert.consulting)
• Verhaert Nederland (BEACON)

Products and services

• Strategic Innovation Business engineering and design thinking combined with technology management and finance to create new business, pilot value propositions, manage product lifecycle, and support strategic sourcing and business accelerators for enterprise clients.
• Digital Innovation End-to-end digital solutions including software applications, platforms, IoT solutions, and infrastructure to connect businesses with users, stakeholders, hardware, and data, targeted at enterprises undergoing digital transformation.
• Product Innovation User-driven technology and breakthrough design services for devices, appliances, robotics, sensor systems, and smart packaging from concept through market success, intended for product manufacturers and brand owners.
• High-Tech Innovation (Lambda-X) Precision optics and mission-ready engineering for high-tech systems including optical instruments, onboard optics, payloads, and optical subsystems for space, life sciences, and industrial applications, targeted at space, defense, and high-tech OEMs.
• On-site Consulting Temporary on-site engineering and management competencies, including innovation management consultants, product development, digital consultants, industrialization consultants, and high-tech consultants embedded within client teams.
• FundIt (Public Funding Support) Public funding solutions matching client research agendas with funding programs including SEPIA, SME Wallet (KMO-portefeuille), ESA Space Solutions, Copernicus, and European Commission grants, helping clients secure non-dilutive R&D financing.
• MyStartUp Acceleration Programs Startup acceleration programs based on Verhaert's proprietary RICE methodology, including the CASSINI Business Accelerator for European space-tech start-ups, supporting ventures from idea to market with structured validation.

Quantifiable outcome

• CASSINI Batch 5 closed €14.4M in sales for 20 space tech start-ups
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Academy for Corporate Entrepreneurship (AfCE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2022Verhaert acquired the German-based Academy for Corporate Entrepreneurship (AfCE) to expand its innovation management capabilities, specifically enhancing corporate entrepreneurship training programs.
• CASSINI Business Accelerator ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Verhaert Masters in Innovation, Plug and Play Tech Center, CIVITTA, and Sting won an €8.5 million contract from the European Commission to boost European space start-ups. Verhaert's Strategic Innovation team leads the flagship project to support NewSpace ventures across Europe.
• ESA Space Solutions BelgiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging and operating ESA's Space Solutions Center Belgium, handling incubation and technology transfer for space-related ventures.
• BEACONcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBEACON operates under the Verhaert Netherlands brand, bringing innovation project leadership experience strengthened by Verhaert's European engineering and design capabilities. Partnership bridges vision and realization for Dutch market.
• Copernicus Incubation ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging start-up program for ventures using Copernicus data, part of ESA's downstream services ecosystem.
• SME Wallet (KMO-portefeuille)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship for public funding solutions. Verhaert helps clients match research agendas with public funding programs including SME Wallet, ESA Space Solutions, and European Commission grants.
• Plug and Play Tech CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in CASSINI Business Accelerator consortium to boost European space start-ups through innovation ecosystem.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IDEO: IDEO is a pioneer in human-centered design and corporate innovation consulting, offering design thinking-led transformation services — directly comparable to Verhaert's design-driven, multi-disciplinary innovation factory model.
• Cambridge Consultants: Cambridge Consultants is a UK-based product innovation and engineering consultancy that takes clients from concept to commercialized product — directly comparable to Verhaert's Product Innovation, High-Tech Innovation (Lambda-X optics), and Life Sciences capabilities.
• PA Consulting: PA Consulting combines management consulting with deep engineering and applied innovation teams, serving clients across healthcare, defense, and consumer — closely mirroring Verhaert's strategy-plus-engineering, end-to-end innovation model.
• Star (formerly Point72 Innovation consultancy): Star is a global consultancy specializing in strategy, design, and engineering for connected products and experiences — directly comparable to Verhaert's Strategic Innovation + Digital Innovation + Product Innovation integrated offering.
• Frog Design (now part of Capgemini Invent): Frog is a global design and innovation firm focused on product, brand and service design for enterprises — directly comparable to Verhaert's Strategic Innovation, Product Innovation and DesignLab capabilities, especially for FMCG and connected device clients.

Broad incumbents

• Capgemini Engineering: Capgemini Engineering (formerly Altran) provides R&D and engineering services across industries including life sciences, aerospace and consumer products — a broad incumbent competing for the same enterprise innovation budgets as Verhaert's business units.
• Accenture Industry X: Accenture Industry X delivers digital engineering and manufacturing services at global scale, serving the same enterprise digital transformation buyers as Verhaert but as part of a much broader portfolio including strategy and IT services.
• BCG X (Bright House): BCG X / Bright House is Boston Consulting Group's corporate venture and innovation build arm, advising enterprises on new business creation and venture studios — a broad incumbent competing with Verhaert's Strategic Innovation and accelerator offerings.

Emerging players

• Designworks (BMW Group): Designworks is a strategic design consultancy owned by BMW, applying industrial design, UX and innovation methodology to mobility and beyond — an emerging specialist with overlapping product design and innovation consulting capabilities comparable to Verhaert's DesignLab.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Plug and Play is a global startup accelerator and corporate innovation platform that co-leads the CASSINI Business Accelerator consortium with Verhaert — a directly related ecosystem partner and emerging player in European space-tech acceleration services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/verhaertmii?feature=watch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verhaert
• Instagraminstagram.com/verhaertmastersininnovation
• Xx.com/verhaertmii

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Verhaert Masters in Innovation